Carpe Diem
by PureVampirePriestess
Summary: It's all different now. Nero can't even look at himself the same way... and it's all because of Fortuna. Nero returns from saving Fortuna to his home and even his parents hate him now. How can he possibly live in a world where everyone hates him? Character abuse/Cutting/Depression T for a reason. A bit of DantexNero


A/N: Just another DantexNero story. O3O I have no other comments. Hmm. Oh if you like this story, why not take a look at my other DMC4 stories? I have written two other's that I think you'd like. Have fun reading.

Carpe Diem

Nero sat in Physics, copying the teachers writing from the board in his notebook and trying not to let the throbbing pain from his arm distract him from his work. Earlier that morning if you had walked by the bathroom of the high school in the south wing you would have heard nothing but maybe a small whimper. Yes, he had been in that bathroom at that time. Yes, he had been holding back tears from the pain in his chest, but not in his wrist. No, he would not admit that he had an exacto-knife in his hand at the time. No, he would not admit that he had raked the blade across his arm blindly, only mildly aware of the pain before he felt nothing, but the feel of warmth. No he would not admit that he had cut too deep and had to cover his arm with his black sweatshirt that was currently in his back pack. He would only admit to the pain he was feeling, but not where it hurt.

He would also not admit that his parents were emotionally and physically abusing him. He would not utter a word, but in his mind, pictures and images would run faster than he could keep up with; one's of his father holding a knife to Damon's neck, or his mother frowning down on him while holding a meat tenderizer in her hand and clutching it so hard that her knuckles turned white. No. He would never tell anyone. He was not willing to pay the price of his crazy parents' price for 'tattling' on them. He only had two more years of school to go until he graduated anyway.

This had been going on for years. His life going by every day in pain and silent agony before he came home and got senselessly beaten by both of his parents. He would never tell anyone any of this. He didn't was CPS to come and pick him up. The last thing he wanted to do was to be pulled out of school in his junior year when it was the most important time of his three years of high school. Most students didn't think that it was, but he knew. He saw what happened to the students who flunked out and had to take summer school. So having so much stress as such would be horrible for his curriculum.

Having said this, he didn't think he could go through with his senior year as the school freak that got the crap beat out of him every day. Since his freshmen year in high school he had been the school freak. He had been the one that everyone took their problems; verbal and physical, out on. Every day he would come to school and go home with more bruises than when he had started with. He was constantly bruising or breaking things that he had already broken. Sometimes he would be forced to sleep in his car, much to the displeasure of the night watch in his neighborhood, down the street from his own house. During the nights he couldn't sleep he would go down to the coffee shop where Kyrie worked and they would chat over a pot of coffee while he did homework. They were no longer dating. Kyrie couldn't take Nero's parents always insulting her but they still talked. Kyrie understood his position and felt concerned for him when he told her about his life at home and at school. Things had changed so much since the savior incident. All the same, he had told her not to tell the knights or call anyone. It's not like anyone would come in the first place. She had agreed albeit willingly.

The bell rang; signaling for the students that second period was over. Gathering his things, Nero made his way to Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH) with his backpack half on his back. Shifting his backpack and sliding his arm into the other part of his back pack, someone in the hall walking towards him smacked into his arm, making him cringe and his eyes water from the pain. At the contact with the other person he felt the cuts on his arm tear open and he knew that he would need to put more gauze on when he got home. He didn't like this kind of pain. This wasn't the numbing pain of the blade sliding along his arm, this was a dull pain that stayed with him all day and annoyed him to no end. Clutching his arm tightly to him, he made his way to class, sitting in his seat and cradling his hurting arm like it was a baby. The other students around him looked at him like he had just walked out of a sewer covered in brown sludge, but he just glared at the stomach churned as he realized today would be one of the days where he would likely stay out all night instead of going back to the hell he called home. Lady luck just wasn't on his side like most mornings.

DevilxMayxCry

During lunch he was, again, in the bathroom stall with the knife biting into his arm until all his senses were gone but the rush of adrenaline and the cold metal that lay in his hand. During the last three periods he couldn't settle his over bearing thoughts; his PTSD growing out of hand until he had to lay his head down to keep from passing out. The horrible memories of coming home to his parents chaining him to the wall in the basement and beating the crap out of him right after the savior incident had run through his head until he felt nauseous and his head throbbed. Now everything was gone, the memories, the pain, the sadness. There was nothing. The pain in his chest from his beat up earlier that day was gone. After APUSH a group of popular people decided to beat the breath from his body in one of the back hallways of the school. To say his life as it stood was a living nightmare would be an understatement.

After he cleaned off the blade with some toilet paper and stuffed it back into his boot and sock he pressed more toilet paper to his wrist before cleaning up the floor and toilet seat. Once the blood had been cleaned away slowly he wrapped his arm back up in gauze and exited the bathroom silently, swinging his bag onto his back. Walking up to the mirror in the bathrooms Nero looked at his paled form in the mirror. So he might have lost a little too much blood today, it's not something he wasn't used to. Fighting demons had its unfortunate accidents as well. Once, he even had to get his nearly severed fingers to knit back together. It had been painful beyond all belief. Sure it might have been a reoccurring thing; getting beat up every day by the people at school and at his home, but it's not like he often had it this badly. Today lady luck just hated him as much as anyone else in his life.

"This fucking sucks..." Nero mumbled to himself and turned from the mirror in time to see another teen stumble out of the bathroom clear across the bathroom from where he had been, eyes dilated, movements slow and jerky. He was clearly on something serious. Picking up his backpack, Nero walked around the meth head and wrinkled his nose at the stench before exiting the bathroom. He was glad, at least, that he hadn't chose to drug his problems away. "I hate this school..." He mumbled as he moved to sit down at an empty table the color of vomit. Honestly the school needed new lunch room tables.

Before Nero could even take out a book to read, he didn't eat much during lunch these days, a large tanned teen threw himself into the chair next to him, facing him and carrying himself like he was in varsity football. Nero was pretty sure he had seen the teen around school in a jersey the days they had games. This was the first time Nero had seen him up close before. Now that the jock was sitting in front of him, Nero didn't want to deal with any of the jerks around school for the rest of the day. Too bad life had other plans. Even when he had cut two times today he wouldn't be able handle life at home if this kept up. Sure they didn't chain him up anymore, but it's not like he'd get very far anymore… Nero's thoughts were cut short as the football player grabbed his bag, throwing it across the lunch room to where his friend caught it and dumped his belongings into the compost before throwing his bag across the lunch room where it landed under a random table to be found later.

"How's it sucking loser? Has your daddy given you a daily beating yet?" The football player asked. Nero sighed, getting up and walking away. He didn't want to deal with another idiot asking questions about his parents. Sure they were right, but he didn't need the entire school knowing that his parents were abusive. Before he could get more than five feet away the football player grabbed the collar of Nero's shirt and lifted him off of the ground. Gagging, Nero's arms and legs scrambled, looking for any type of leverage he could, so he could relieve the pressure on his wind pipe. The taller teen behind him shook him in the air before turning him around to look him in the eye. "I asked you a question you freak of nature, answer it." He growled, but Nero only gritted his teeth together and swung his body so he could kick the other. Before his blow could land the football player threw Nero to the ground, his injured arm landing under him and his rib that had been bruised during his last beat up sending blinding pain through him. He cried out, coughing a little and not having any time to retaliate before Nero was kicked in the back, sending him rolling again. Then he was dragged to the bathroom and left in the same stall he had been in before where the taller teen spit on him and left him to suffer. Nero closed his eyes once he knew the other was gone.

'Can't I get a break? Why me…?' He thought to himself as he let himself break down, not bothering to lock the stall.

DevilxMayxCry

Nero didn't attend the rest of his classes that day. When school ended he numbly exited the building, wincing from several people who bumped into him along the crowded hallways before he got outside and into his car. He was debating on sleeping in the public park like he had done a few nights ago, but then he remembered he didn't have any clothes. He didn't want people telling him he was a dirty rat too because he already had enough horrible nicknames to last him for forever. His cuts throbbed as he threw his food covered belongings into the back seat of his "rape van" as some of the people in the school liked to remind him, before turning the key in the ignition. A tapping came from the passenger side window and Nero turned nervously to see a man he had not seen for quite some time waving at him through the tinted glass. Pressing a button on his van door he let the window open and watched the man lounge on his door. What was Dante of all people doing at his school? Were there more demons he didn't know about?

"Mind giving me a ride home? My teacher made me miss the bus." Dante joked with that ever present smirk that Nero had missed more than anything else in the world. Nero only blinked, studying the others eyes before he frowned. Dante. It was really Dante.

"Why are you here?" He finally asked. Dante laughed, the noise ringing in Nero's ears pleasantly.

"I need a reason to come see my favourite punk?" He asked. Nero gave him a flat look which had Dante laughing again. "I had a mission in town and I thought I'd see how you were holding up." He explained, his fingers tapping on the Grey pleather of Nero's van door. Nero looked at him wearily. "Look, I haven't actually done it yet, if you want to come with me, then come on let's go. If we don't get goin' the demons gonna end up making human soup before I can kill it." He continued to explain. I barked a laugh. He couldn't be serious if he thought I was the same kid I was two years ago.

"You think I'm still up for killing demons? You think I'm still the same? What, the town hasn't forcibly told you the stories about how I molested and killed the demons I've hunted or the stories of me jumping cute guys to satisfy the queer inside me?" I said in a sarcastic tone. Dante's smirk fell from his face and he blinked, and then broke out laughing before grinning at Nero.

"You think I'm cute?" Was all he said and Nero felt a blush creep over the bridge of his nose. His arms covering in Goosebumps that made his cuts sting and in turn made him frown.

"Shut up old man. Look, you wouldn't want to be caught in the same car as the town freak." He said putting his car in reverse. Dante shocked him by sticking his hands in the car and waving them at his own hand on the gear.

"Hey, come on kid, don't I at least get to try to convince you?" The older of the two frowned at the offending hand before looking at Nero. "I don't give two shits what the other's think, they pushed me around when I got here, telling me that I was in with the freaks. I'm just lucky I'm part demon or I would have a few broken ribs." He said and Nero thought about it for a moment before motioning him into the car. Dante grinned before joining Nero in the car. "By the way, I remember you with silver hair. What'd you do, dye it?" Dante asked, lounging back in the comfy seat. Nero unconsciously reached up and touched his fluffy auburn hair with two dark blue and black stripes on the left side of his head. He had done it a few days ago and loved the color which was different from its natural look. It made him less of a freak.

"Yeah..." He said laying his hand back on the wheel as he waited for the other to buckle up. "Before I just drive away, how long do you plan on staying in the city?" Nero asked nervously, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel slightly.

Dante looked at him once he had finished buckling his seat belt and shoved both of his hands into his sweatshirt pockets. Which Nero thought was oddly casual for the older man whom he thought would only wear leather and chaps. Nero couldn't help but notice the way the man sat; straight like he knew how to carry himself and with a confidence Nero had never had in his life. Then Dante grinned and Nero felt the blush that was creeping onto his cheeks dust over his face.

"A few days at least. Trish has been pestering me to do work lately. I rented a hotel in the outskirts that you can come to if you're ever lonely." Dante joked with a wink. Nero looked at him and warmth that he hadn't felt for a long time filled him to the brim, almost causing him to choke up before he nodded, trying not to let his emotions show too badly. Dante ruffled the teen's hair and Nero batted his hand away. Unknowingly to him, Nero had slapped Dante's hand away using the hand he so preciously kept hidden and had now just put on display for the older man's observant eyes to see. The sudden realization hit him as Dante's eyes drifted down and saw the white bandage tainted with crimson poking out of his sleeve. Nero tried to pull away but Dante was faster, pulling his arm to him and watching Nero cringe back instinctually before the light haired man gently moved the sleeve of Nero's jacket up and frowned. Nero turned his face away and bit his lip. "What is this?" Dante asked wearily but Nero kept silent.

Nero had been so careful! He had kept this so hidden, so quiet, that he hadn't thought he would be caught so easily. He had made sure to wear long sleeves even when the blistering heat beat down on him and even locked the door when he was taking a shower. He went to such extremes that he even walked through the less populated hallways during passing period instead of going through the main halls where everyone went. So how could this man who he had just met for the second time in his life figure it out in less than a minute of seeing him again? Nero's rage inside him flared but he kept his face decidedly blank and continued to bite his lip before opening his mouth slowly and answered him in the most casual voice he could manage.

"Nothing much I guess. I was out hunting demons and one of them got my arm pretty badly." He was surprised at how easily the lie came to him. He didn't lie much, didn't have to lie to anyone but his parents. Somehow he didn't like it. Lying to Dante put a sour taste in his mouth even though he did it to his parents every day and somehow he knew he wasn't going to be doing it again if he ever saw him in the future... Well, at least not very often. Dante stared at him, clearly not believing his faulty story and Nero could only look away and stay quiet.

"Hey." Dante's voice came from next to him, rough, low, and kind. Nero couldn't help but look over. Dante was looking at him with worried eyes. "I don't know why you aren't healing as fast, because your cuts still smell fresh and your demon energy should've dealt with it, but you know you have people who care about you, whether you know it or not." Nero clenched his teeth together and tried not to shudder. His demon had been locked away inside him for a while now. It couldn't take the beatings without Nero fighting back. It hid itself away inside him a year and a half ago and wouldn't even heal his wounds quickly anymore. To say Nero had been pissed was the understatement of the year. Dante continued as Nero's mind ran. "I'm not getting sappy here or anything, but seriously..." Dante let go of his hand to grip his shoulder. "I don't know what's up with your life, I don't know everything about you, but I saw you getting pushed around by those shit heads a few minutes ago. I saw the punches that idiot footballer threw." He said and Nero stiffened, his gaze still turned to the side. He was glaring at the upholstery torridly. Dante continued. "You could've beaten the shit outta him Nero, but you still walked down the hallway to your next class like nothing was bothering you. Most people would hit back." He said and Nero shrugged. This little pep talk wasn't going to stop his cutting, not when his PTSD was so bad. Dante seemed to know this and dropped his hand. "Yeah, okay. I'm not going to be able to make you stop cutting that easily, but I might as well try." He said and Nero glanced at him in time to see Dante cross his arms in a childish manner. Nero smirked and started reversing the car.

"You can try. I can tell you I won't stop now, but maybe in a while... Can't make any promises to someone I barely know." He said chuckling to himself quietly. A sudden thought hit him like a ten year old being tackled by a high schooler. 'If Dante's here, maybe life wouldn't be so horrible until I graduate...' and Dante grinned at him before tapping Nero's arm with his fist and tossing his sword in its guitar case into the back.

"Hey, eyes on the road. I know you think I'm cute but I don't want to be a cute stain on the black top." He said and Nero laughed loudly, turning his eyes onto the car in front of them. His cuts didn't hurt as much anymore and the ache in his chest had subsided.

'Yeah, things are definitely going to work out...'

A/N: Yeah, this was a little sad, but there was D/N fluff! :D So in this story Nero is still in high school. He's around eighteen and he and Kyrie are just friends who know each other from the coffee shop. The whole savior thing _has _happened, but things went from bad to worse when things returned to 'normal'. If you didn't get all of this from the story then please go back and actually read it. xD It was pretty obvious. I try not to make things too confusing. So I hope you liked this oneshot. I don't write many of them, but I try to make them interesting when I do. :3 Remember I have two other DMC4 stories that need love! So after you review *wiggles suggestive eye brows* Please read my other stories. Have a kick ass day everyone!

Pure~*


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